This issue of The Forum includes articles on a variety of topics that should be of special interest to the educator. Two articles, written by Cooperative Extension professionals, focus on the family and challenges concerning the family including informal learning and parent education as well as enhancing relational skills in blended families that can be used by educators across the country. In another article the perceptions of Extension educators participating in the PROmoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience (PROSPER Learning Community) project and implications for greater Extension educator success in the community setting are discussed.
One article addresses radon, a serious health issue for American homes and identifies resources for Extension professionals and others. This article also offers suggestions for developing, marketing and implementing a radon workshop.
Two articles focus on nutrition needs. One, a Feature Article, identifies the unique nutrition needs of older adults and provides an in depth review and discussion on this topic. This article provides a wealth of information for Extension educators and other health professionals to use in programming. Nutrition education has great potential to delay morbidity and mortality and to improve the quality of life for older adults and their caregivers. The other article addresses a critical need for adolescents, the nutritional needs of adolescents for adequate calcium and their parents and guardians’ knowledge on the subject.
It is, as always, my hope and opinion that you will gain knowledge, resources, and ideas from these articles to assist you in your endeavors. Enjoy!
Jacquelyn W. McClelland, Ph.D.